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A study of DNA protective effect of orange juice supplementation
No full textThe potential acute genoprotective effect of orange juice supplementation was investigated. Six healthy subjects (aged 33 to 60 years ; 3 women and 3 men) were asked to drink 400 mL of commercial orange juice, which contained 100 mg vitamin C and 40.8 g sugar. Venous blood (2 mL) was taken before and 2 h after ingestion (test trial). A week later, the subjects were asked to repeat the trial by drinking 400 mL water with 100 mg vitamin C and 40.8 g glucose (control trial). Lymphocytes isolated from blood samples underwent comet assay on the day of collection. Pre- and postingestion DNA damage scores were measured in both the test and control trials. Results showed that there was a significant decrease in DNA damage induced by hydrogen peroxide after 2 h of supplementation with orange juice, and no change in baseline DNA damage. There was no significant decrease in the DNA damage in lymphocytes in the control trial
Exploring the physical activity of secondary school students in Hong Kong by application of the theory of planned behaviour
No full textAccording to World Health Organization (2010), inadequate physical activities ranked the fourth leading cause of global mortality. Diseases caused by lacking physical activity contributed to 6% of global mortality rate. Adequate physical activity is particular important for students. Habits developed in early stage are rooted and more likely maintained throughout the rest of life. According to the survey of Department of Health (Centre for Health Protection, 2010), it revealed that majority of population did not have enough physical activity, there was over 60% of Hong Kong citizens (aged from 18 – 84) could not fulfil the requirements of regular physical activity. In addition, secondary school students in Hong Kong were reported lacking of physical activity (Mok & Ko, 2012). Excluding physical education lessons in school, there were nearly 70 % of children and adolescents did not have adequate amount of physical activity to bring health benefits (Central Health Education Unit, 2005). In present study, the aim was to predict the physical activity intention and behaviour of secondary school students in Hong Kong by application of Ajzen’s theory of planned behaviour (TPB). By doing data analysis, the root TPB variables restraining students from doing physical activity were explored. In this case study, 486 students (250 male and 236 female), ranging in age from 11 to 18 years, were enrolled. By means of self-administrated questionnaire, TPB variables were measured. All three TPB variables, Attitude (A), Subjective Norm (SN) and Perceived Behavioural Control (PBC) had significant associations with physical activity, but PBC gave the strongest influence. The TPB variables explained 53.1% of physical activity intention with significant factors of SN and PBC. When predicting physical activity behaviour, TPB variables accounted for 26.6% of the variance. Results of this study are in line with other research and give evidence that TPB is a useful framework for the prediction of physical activity intention of secondary school students in Hong Kong
Reference standards for forced expiratory indices in Chinese preschool children
No full textSpirometric testing is traditionally achievable in children of school-age and beyond. Incorporation of interactive incentives motivates preschool children to facilitate measurement of forced expiratory indices. Validated spirometric reference standards are available for Caucasian preschoolers but lacking in Asians. We established spirometric references in Chinese children aged 2–7 years, who were recruited from 19 randomly selected nurseries and kindergartens in Hong Kong. Parents completed International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood questionnaire, and children concurrently performed incentive spirometry on-site according to international guideline. Prediction equations for spirometric indices were formulated by linear regression. One thousand four hundred two (72.9%) of 1,922 consented children, with mean (SD) age 4.4 (1.0) years, successfully performed spirometry. Following exclusions due to medical and technical reasons, 895 (63.8%) children contributed spirometric data to our references. Girls had lower FEV0.5, FEV0.75, FEV1, FVC, and PEF but similar FEF25–75 than boys, adjusted for age, weight, and standing height as covariates. Standing height was the most important predictor for FEV0.5, FEV0.75, FEV1, FVC, and PEF in both boys (adjusted R2 0.525–0.734) and girls (adjusted R2 0.583–0.721), whereas the best prediction model for both gender is formed by standing height, weight, and age. At various standing heights, our preschoolers had FEV1 Z-scores 0.13–1.00 higher than those of collaborative Caucasian reference. This study justifies the need for ethnic-specific reference equations and presents spirometry references in young Chinese children. Their forced expiratory indices are determined by gender, age, weight and standing height, and standing height is the best anthropometric index to predict all spirometric indices
Gui-ling-gao, a traditional Chinese functional food, prevents oxidative stress-induced apoptosis in H9c2 cardiomyocytes
No full textFunctional foods have become an increasingly popular alternative to prevent diseases and maintain body health status. Gui-ling-gao (GLG, also known as turtle jelly) is a well-known traditional functional food popular in Southern China and Hong Kong. This study aimed to investigate the antioxidative and anti-apoptotic effects of GLG, a traditional Chinese functional food, on preventing oxidative stress-induced injury in H9c2 cardiomyocytes. In this study, the antioxidative capacities of GLG were measured by using both a cell-free assay [2,2-diphenyl-1-(2,4,6-trinitrophenyl)hydrazyl assay] and biological methods [2,2′-azobis(2-amidinopropane)-induced haemolysis assay and H2O2-induced cell damage on H9c2 cardiomyocytes]. Additionally, the total phenolic content was measured using the Folin–Ciocalteu method. Furthermore, the anti-apoptotic effect of GLG was evaluated by nuclear staining and a DNA fragmentation assay. GLG was found to have good antioxidant activities and high total phenolic content. In H2O2-induced cell damage on H9c2 cells, GLG was demonstrated to ameliorate the apoptotic effects, such as nuclear condensations, increased intracellular caspase-3 activity and inter-nucleosomal DNA cleavage, induced by H2O2. The present study demonstrated for the first time that GLG possesses anti-apoptotic potential in vitro and this effect may be mediated, in part, by its antioxidative function. Additionally, the antioxidative capacities of GLG were proved both chemically and biologically. This study provides scientific evidence to prove the anecdotal health-beneficial claim that the consumption of GLG could help the body to handle endogenous toxicants such as free radicals
Gui-ling-gao (turtle jelly), a traditional Chinese functional food, exerts anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting iNOS and pro-inflammatory cytokine expressions in splenocytes isolated from BALB/c mice
No full textGui-ling-gao (GLG), also known as turtle jelly, is a popular medicinal Chinese health/functional food prepared from several traditional Chinese medicinal herbs. The present study aimed at examining and explaining the anti-inflammatory properties of GLG by using lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation in splenocytes isolated from BALB/c mice. Additionally, the effects of GLG on mRNA and protein expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and pro-inflammatory cytokines in LPS-stimulated splenocyte proliferation were evaluated by real-time RT-PCR and Western blot assays. We demonstrated that GLG significantly inhibited LPS-induced splenocyte proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner. LPS-mediated up-regulations in the gene and protein expressions of iNOS, interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) were suppressed by GLG. These findings suggest for the first time that GLG exerts anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting the expression of iNOS and pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1β and TNF-α. The current study provides strong scientific evidence for the health-beneficial claim that consumption of GLG could help the body to modulate the immune system
A review of the cardiovascular benefits and antioxidant properties of allicin
No full textCardiovascular disease (CVD) is a category of chronic noncommunicable diseases causing high global mortality and has been a heavy social burden in many countries. In the search of chemicals that arise from natural food source, allicin is one such ingredient from garlic that was discovered with the potential to provide beneficial effects to the cardiovascular system. From the pharmacokinetic studies, allicin is known to be hydrophobic and can be readily absorbed through the cell membrane without inducing any damage to the phospholipid bilayer and then rapidly metabolized to exert pharmacological effects that are important to the cardiovascular system. It was found to provide cardio-protective effects by inducing vasorelaxation and alleviating various pathological conditions of CVD, including cardiac hypertrophy, angiogenesis, platelet aggregation, hyperlipidemia and hyperglycemia. Allicin was also discovered to further protect the cardiovascular system by enhancing the antioxidant status by lowering the level of reactive oxygen species and stimulating the production of glutathione. Other pharmacological benefits such as anticancer and antimicrobial activities were also discussed. It is concluded that allicin can be potentially developed into a health product for the cardiovascular system
Defect-disorder and risk assessment of heritage trees in urban Hong Kong
No full textHeritage trees in a city, echoing factors conducive to outstanding performance, deserve special care and conservation. To understand their structural and health conditions in urban Hong Kong, 30 defect-disorder (DD) symptoms (physical and physiological) subsumed under four tree-position groups (soil-root, trunk, branching, and crown-foliage) and tree hazard rating were evaluated. The surveyed 352 trees included 70 species; 14 species with 233 trees were native. More trees had medium height (10–15 m), medium DBH (1–1.5 m) and large crown (\u3e15 m). In ten habitats, public park and garden (PPG) accommodated the most trees, and roadside traffic island (RTI) and public housing estate (PH) had the least. Tree dimensions and tree habitats were significantly associated. The associations between the 2831 DD and tree-position groups, tree habitats and tree hazard rating were analyzed. Fourteen trees from Ficus microcarpa, Ficus virens and Gleditsia fera had high hazard rating, 179 trees from 22 species moderate rating, and 159 trees from 55 species low rating. RTI, roadside tree strip (RTS), roadside tree pit (RTP), roadside planter (RP) and stone wall (SW) had more moderate hazard rating, and PPG, roadside slope (RS) and government, institutional and community land (GIC) more low rating. Redundancy analysis showed that DD were positively correlated with RTS, RTP, RP and SW, but negatively correlated with PPG, RS and GIC (p \u3c 0.05). The DD significantly increased tree hazard rating and failure potential. Future management implications for heritage-tree conservation and enhancement focusing squarely on critical tree defect-disorder in urban Hong Kong were explored, with application to other compact cities
Effect of streaming on students\u27 achievement in vocational training of pharmaceutical technology
No full textWe present the findings of a study carried out to determine the effect of streaming on students\u27 preferences and their academic results in pharmaceutical technology. In the study we analyzed achievement scores on examination results in the two semesters of the academic year 2005/2006 of a sample of 85 students in the first year of a Higher Diploma in Pharmaceutical Technology in the Department of Applied Science of the Hong Kong Institution of Vocational Education. Raw data were analyzed statistically and the hypotheses tested. Generally, the results indicated that streaming based on academic results and students\u27 preference impaired overall students\u27 achievements, after the streaming exercise, for the students who were streamed to the less popular division